Too Young
by still too old for this
Summary: 30 Years in the future. Garfield Logan is dying. The Titans and his family gather at the end to bid him farewell and wonder at the long, unusual relationship he had with Raven, his wife.
1. Chapter 1

I do not own the Teen Titans. For those of you who are under the age of 40 (groan), the title is from a song by the incomparable Nat "King" Cole. Yea, that's Natalie's dad. The song just reminds me of my favorite couple and I thought a nice, tragic (yes, tragic), romance would be appropriate. Without further a due,

Too Young – Beginning

_**They tried to tell us we're too young, too young to really be in love.**_

It was dark and it was raining. This was entirely appropriate given the circumstances. In a small, quiet house, there were a number of people gathered around a bedside, friends and family. There was no joy or hope. No light or laughter. This was not a reunion of people reconnecting with each other. They knew what they were there for. Someone was dying, dying far too young. Although he was married, had a child and a long, joyous life, he was still too young. He had been filled with such life; it had put all others to shame. They were not ready to see him go. Unfortunately, there was no choice. And so, they waited for the end.

Garfield Mark Logan, Changeling, formerly Beast Boy, was dying. There was nothing that could be done. The instability of his DNA had finally infected his entire cell structure. While it had kept him alive and safe from Sakutia, his parent's cure had finally won out over his human physiology. The greatest medical minds of the planet had attempted a cure. Star Labs, Lexcorp, WayneMedical, all had failed. The deterioration in his cellular structure was too far advanced. The Justice League had been called in, with knowledge that spanned the galaxy. All had said the same thing; there was nothing they could do. Dr. Fate, Zatanna, even the Phantom Stranger had been called in, to see if magic could do what science could not. All agreed the cure for the deterioration in his cellular cohesion was beyond their abilities.

And so, Garfield Logan, Beast Boy, was dying. There would be no reprieve. It was a matter of hours, perhaps minutes.

And so, his family and friends kept vigil, waiting for the end.

Garfield had slipped into a coma a few hours earlier, a sign that the end was near. All his friends and family knew that was the signal for them to gather, to be there, to pay respects, to remember their comrade, the teammate, their friend, to comfort each other. From the four corners of the planet, they came. From the distant stars, they came. And so, there at the end, along with Garfield's family, the Titans had reunited at last, to pay respects and see their dearest friend off to his final adventure.

From Gotham, Richard Grayson, Nightwing, formerly Robin, came. From San Francisco, Victor Stone, Cyborg, head of Titans West, came. From Tamaran, Koriand'r, Starfire, Empress of Tamaran, Leader of the Warriors of Tamaran, came. From Tamaran, Kondar, Garfield'r and Victo'r, prince consort and the two heirs to the throne of Tamaran came. From St. Louis, Rita Farr, ElastiGirl, adopted mother of Garfield Logan, came.

Next to all of them, greeting them and trying to keep everyone's spirits up in this time of sadness and loss, was Mark Richard Logan, son of Garfield Logan.

And by his bedside, Raven Logan, wife of Garfield Logan, sat.

As is the case when people are at a dying person's bedside, they spoke quietly amongst themselves. They moved from room to room, momentarily trying to escape the oppressiveness of the event to come, avoiding, if only temporarily, the place where their friend lay waiting. They thought and they remembered. They remembered their youth, they remembered the times, good and bad, that bind them to the dying man. They remembered their regrets and their mistakes. And they remembered the things they wish they had said, but hadn't. And they remembered the things they said, but wish they hadn't.

And so they waited for the end, and thought, and remembered.

First, Starfire's memories.

_**They tried to tell us we're too young, too young to really be in love.**_


	2. Chapter 2

I do not own the Teen Titans. Nor do I own the rights to the song "Too Young" (just in case).

Too Young – Starfire's memories

_**They say that love's a word, a word we've only heard.**_

Koriand'r, Empress of the Tamarean Empire, Leader of the Warriors of Tamaran, had received the call routed through the Justice League's communication system. Garfield Logan, her comrade and friend, was dying. Honor and love demanded her return. She did not want to go back to Earth where she would see Him. But Garfield was one of her oldest and dearest friends. So, she put aside her reticence and returned to Earth. She could do no less, not after all he had done for her. She would have been dishonored to ignore her friend. She could not have lived with herself nor faced her family and her people.

So, Koriand'r returned to Earth, risking seeing her ex-husband, so that she might help her friend on his final journey.

"My Empress, do you wish to see your '_Braken dre Comyr_' alone? I will clear the room for you if necessary." Inquired Kondar, her consort and husband. A '_Braken dre Comyr' _was an "ultimate" friend, so to speak. The nearest translation was "dearest of friends to whom I owe all, my status, my honor, my life". It was rare that a person had such another in their life. Garfield had proved it again and again, between saving her life numerous times during their time as Titans, up to the time when he convinced the Titans to fight for her in gaining the throne of Tamaran against her sister. Oh, it was Raven who did the talking to Robin and swung the decision for her. But she knew it was Garfield who convinced Raven. He had known only Raven could talk Robin into helping his ex-wife.

"No, companion, I will be with my friends. All of us were together too long to be denied this time."

"But, the '_Kann Burre Jacm'mor'_ is present." (Just think of betraying lover and add as many curse words as you can think of. You might come close to the depth of hatred that phrase invoked.)

"I know. But I would not dishonor my friend by making a scene. If Richard wishes to make one, that is his affair. I will not dishonor Garfield Logan."

"As you wish, my Empress"

"My sons, you will attend me. You should see Garfield Logan before he journeys on."

"Yes, my Empress mother," the young men answered in unison.

"Kondar, you shall remain here."

"Yes, my Empress."

The three walked into the dying man's chamber. Starfire first, then precisely three steps behind her was Garfield'r, the first heir, then two steps behind him, Victo'r, as protocol demanded.

"Aunt Kory," said Mark, in hushed tones. "I'm so glad you were able to come." He walked over to Starfire and gave her a hug. Both men stiffened.

"You will accept the impropriety of this action my sons. This is Garfield Logan's son and heir." Starfire said in Tamarean. "Mark, I am so sorry, I wish there was something that done could still be." Even after all these years, Starfire still had trouble with English syntax.

"Thank you Aunt Kory," said Mark. "Just you making the trip from Tamaran is enough for us. I'm sure Mom appreciates it."

Starfire moved over to the bedside, next to Raven. "Raven, it is I, Starfire, I am here for you."

Raven made no motion that she even noticed Starfire, she continued to watch Garfield's chest move slowly up and down.

Starfire sighed. Raven had not really changed much. Spoke little, showed less. Her face could have been set in stone. When they were younger, she at least had shown some emotions. Over the years, the rare, youthful exuberances became rarer and then finally ceased entirely. What a contrast to Garfield, a whirlwind of emotion, no matter what the age.

Yet, it seemed to work. When her own marriage to Richard had collapsed after only a few years (months, if she was honest with herself), due to the weight of their differing priorities and needs, Garfield's and Raven's continued. Here they were, almost…30 earth years?...later? Where did the time go? When did they all get so old? What had happened to the fun and excitement? The joy and laughter?

And Starfire remembered that first day, when Garfield and Raven walked into the common room together…..

_30 years earlier_.

"Come on Raven," whispered Beast Boy, as they both entered the common room. Starfire found this odd. Why was Raven so hesitant to come and join them, and why was Beast Boy practically dragging her? Both had entered the room many times a day for several years. Sometimes together, most often separately. What was going on?

"Is there some problem friends?" she asked. "Do you need assistance?" Starfire couldn't imagine what would be the problem. Raven had defeated her father a year earlier and they had just returned a couple of months ago from their triumph over the Brotherhood of Evil. Since then, there had been a few minor skirmishes, but in truth, things were pretty quiet.

"There's no problem, Star. Actually, it's the opposite. Raven and I have something we need to tell you guys."

"Gar!" Raven whispered. This was even more odd; why did Raven call Beast Boy 'Gar', instead of Beast Boy? Starfire remembered that the Doom Patrol had called him Garfield. She mused, Gar is probably a short version of Garfield, but why would Raven call him that?

"Raven, I want them to know. I'm tired of hiding. Dudes and dudette, I'm making it official, Raven and I have been going together now for one month and we're going to be exclusive. No dating anyone else." As he said it, Starfire could see his heart in his eyes. He was practically bubbling with love.

Before either Robin or Cyborg could respond, if they could after that announcement, Starfire squealed, "How wonderful! Raven, you and Beast Boy are partners, like Robin and I?" Off to the side, Robin gave a start at that. "Why have you kept this from us? When did you start the dating?"

"Yeah, BB, when did this start? And how did you manage to keep it a secret this long?" said Cyborg.

"We just began to hang out on the 18th of last month, when I met her at that depressing café she likes. We started talking, you know, just talking, not fighting or arguing."

"Much," muttered Raven.

Beast Boy gave a laugh, "Much. Anyway, we enjoyed hanging out and started doing it every few days. Finally, I told her I always thought she was the prettiest girl around, sorry Star, and I only wished that she would be interested in me as more than a friend."

"There were a lot more, umms, aaahhs and silences when he said it. Took him about ten minutes to get it out." Raven rolled her eyes.

"Rae, I was just trying to find the right words to convince you of my love."

"Right."

"Anyway, I'm tired of sneaking around and I want you guys to know how I feel about her."

Robin and Cyborg both looked at each other. "Well, congratulations then" said Robin. "This won't affect your training or our teamwork will it?" Starfire was incredulous at Robin. Here were two of their dearest friends, admitting their affection (love?) for each other, and all Robin was interested in was teamwork? There were times she simply didn't understand him.

"Yeah guys, congrats," said Cyborg.

Starfire could contain herself no longer. She flew over to the couple and embraced them both. "How wonderful! I am so happy for you two. Perhaps now we can go on the date of double?"

"We'll see," Raven murmured in a low voice. "Meanwhile, Gar and I are going out for a short while. We'll be back soon." With that, the two left, presumably to grab lunch somewhere.

"I give it two weeks," said Robin.

"If that long," replied Cyborg.

"What are you talking about?" asked Starfire.

"Star," answered Cyborg, "those two are like oil and vinegar. Actually more like fire and gasoline. No way those two would ever make a couple. They'll kill each other. More likely Raven will kill BB." With that the two boys started laughing.

Starfire looked puzzled at the two. Could they not see? She had seen very clearly in Beast Boy's eyes that he adored Raven. Numerous patterns of behavior over the years clicked into place. He had always felt this way about her, even during that incident with Terra.

However, she could not get a feeling about Raven. Raven was her closest girl friend. They shared girl talk and yet, she never fully opened up. She never said anything about Beast Boy. Did she feel the same way about him? Hopefully she felt the same love that Starfire felt for Robin and that, she was sure, Robin felt for her.

_Present Time_

Well, it turned out that Robin did not feel the same way. Oh, he faked it well enough, well enough that they eventually married. Still, if she had paid attention, she would have realized even then that the clues were there that their eternal love was not eternal. Then, perhaps, a lot of heartache would have been avoided.

Starfire mused, she never did figure Raven out. Raven never gave any of her feelings away. It stayed obvious that Garfield worshipped his wife, but Starfire could never figure out if the feelings were reciprocated. Still, she knew, Garfield Logan loved Raven. But did Raven love Garfield Logan?

_**They say that love's a word, a word we've only heard.**_

Next – Cyborg's memories.


	3. Chapter 3

I do not own the Teen Titans. Nor do I own the rights to the song, "Too Young"

Too Young – Cyborg's Memories

_**But cannot comprehend the meaning of**_

Victor Stone, leader of the Titans West, stood by his best friend's bedside, staring down at the green face he knew so well. It looked peaceful at the moment. Mostly because he was hooked up to a number of monitors and intravenous tubes that both kept him pain free and told his family and friends how he was fading.

"_Dammit_," he thought to himself_. "After all the fights, traps, death rays, whatever, everything he escaped to laugh about, he can't get away from this one. Not fair. He didn't even have a shot at escaping this one. What am I going to do without the green bean?"_

"_We've been friends how long? God, has it been 35 years? Seen him grow up, saved his life more times than I can count. He saved my life more times than _I_ can count. Still don't understand him. With everything he's seen, everything he's been through, how is still so happy- go- lucky? He's always had a smile. Dammit, I'm gonna miss that smile."_

Cyborg walked away from the bedside, after first giving Raven's shoulder a squeeze. She didn't move, didn't even acknowledge him. She still continued to stare at the body of her husband lying on the bed, watching his chest move slowly up and down. Cyborg didn't really expect her to notice him. But he wanted to let her know he was there. They had also been friends for too long for him to not want to help her any way he could.

Over in another corner of the room was Kory. It looked like she was speaking with her two sons. _"Wow, have they grown. Haven't seen them in, must be 10 years. I was so honored she named the second one after me. Never thought I deserved it. Though I can understand why she didn't name him after Dick."_

Suddenly remembering Nightwing, Cyborg decided to go looking for him. He hadn't had a chance to speak with him much since they both got there. Moving out of the bedroom, he passed Starfire's husband, acknowledging him with the correct bow and hand gestures. He still remembered a few things from their time on Tamaran. Kondar gave the proper responses to a trusted friend of the Empress.

"_Let's see, where would Dick be hiding, especially now that Kory's here? Probably out on the deck, he always wants to be outside at night."_ Cyborg made his way to the back of the house and looked out the back door. Sure enough, there was a tall figure looking up at the stars. Cyborg opened the door and walked over to his former leader.

"You can't hide out here forever, eventually you'll have to see her in order to say goodbye to Gar." Cyborg looked at his former leader and, still, good friend. They had drifted, as many friends do. Dick had changed over the years, and not necessarily in a good way. More remote, more focused (if that were possible), less approachable.

"_In fact,"_ thought Cyborg, "_if you put the pointed ears on him, I'll bet he would look and act exactly like the Bat. Guess it couldn't be helped. Still, that's no way to live."_

"I'm not hiding."

"Oh, then why are you out here instead of in with everyone else?"

"Thinking."

"You planning to keep thinking until it's too late?"

"I'll be there."

"Bro," Cyborg slipped into the slang of his youth, a sure sign that he was starting to get annoyed with his friend. "draggin' this out is not gonna make it any easier. It's been over 20 years since you saw her, what kind of grudge are you holding anyway?"

Nightwing turned around and looked startled at his friend. "I'm not holding a grudge. Hell, the whole marriage collapsing was my fault. After two failed marriages and a number of messed up relationships, I think I'm a good enough detective to see that the common factor in all of them was me."

Cyborg was stunned. To hear Dick finally confess his faults was a revelation. Not that both of them didn't know that it was his fault, just that he admitted to it.

"Then why are you out here?"

Nightwing muttered something under his breath.

"Scuze?"

"Embarrassed," muttered Nightwing, slightly louder.

Now Cyborg was ready to pick him up and throw him through the wall of the house. 'EMBARRASSED', at a time like this. This was just like Dick, focusing on himself instead of remembering that there were others far more in need of his presence at the moment. Raven, Mark, Kory, him.

Gar.

"Get in there before you miss the boat again." It took all of Cyborg's self-control not to shout that at him and maintain at least a cordial voice. He turned to go back inside.

"How'd he do it, all those years?" Nightwing asked. Cyborg stopped. Talking to Dick was always a struggle; he'd switch from topic to topic in an instant, following a path only he could see. Once explained, everything made sense and was completely logical, but getting there was definitely a struggle.

"How'd who do what?"

"Gar, how'd he stay married to Raven?"

"He loves her," and Cyborg thought back.

_30 years earlier_

The relationship lasted more than the two weeks that Robin had forecast. Five months later, they were still together, at least they told everyone they were still together. The only evidence was that they hung out together. There were no public displays of affection. At least none by Raven, Beast Boy would give her a peck on the check periodically. During movie night they would hold hands. Otherwise, it simply seemed like two good friends hanging out.

That impression ended when Dr. Light was robbing the bank downtown.

Villains do not just engage in master plans. Sometimes you need to raise the money to put a master plan into effect. Some villains rob jewelry stores (they know some really good fences), others rob banks. Dr. Light was a bank robbing villain when he needed cash for a master plan.

Normally, it was supposed to be a quick in and out. Five minutes, plenty of cash and no trouble. The trouble was the Titans were eating pizza across the street. Dr. Light never had much luck. Within 30 seconds, the Titans were across the street as Dr. Light was leaving the building. And the battle was on.

Cyborg noticed that the battle was nothing special. The standard 'Titans, Go!' from Robin, the standard threats from Dr. Light. As usual, it looked like the Titans would win, again, when something unfortunate happened. A deflection of one of Dr. Light's energy discharges went up the side of the bank and knocked loose some of the ledge. It fell towards the battle scene. Before hitting Raven, where it would have done some serious damage to her after falling 50 feet, she saw it and jumped.

Jumped right into the wall next to Dr. Light and knocked herself out. Hardly believing his good fortune for once, Dr. Light grabbed Raven's body and pointed his energy particle light raygun at her temple.

"Back off Titans, or I blow her head off."

Cyborg was stunned. He knew the 'rules of the game' between the heroes and villains. Battles were one thing. Accidents happen, injuries occur to both sides. Taking a hostage was reserved for the more…evil…villains, the murderers and madmen. Dr. Light had stepped over the line.

"Let her go," a low determined voice said. Beast Boy began to walk towards him.

"Oh, no, my friend, let me escape and I'll let your teammate live, maybe."

"That's my fiancé, and if you want to live, you'll let her go."

Cyborg was stunned at the word. FIANCE? They're engaged? How? When?

Dr. Light looked almost as stunned. "Well, that just makes it even more delicious. You have a better reason for letting me go.

Beast Boy looked at him resolutely. His eyes were fiery granite. "No, you don't understand," he said quietly. "I have four ways to kill you right now before you are even aware. I could change into a poison dart frog, you have enough cuts that the poison would be instantaneous. I could change into a spitting cobra and get you in the eyes before you blink. I could change into a T-Rex and bite off your head, or I could simply change into a rhino, at the distance between us, my horn would be in your heart instantly."

Dr. Light turned pale.

"But I won't do any of that," Beast Boy resumed quietly as he walked closer. "What I will do is at the count of five, change into a bacteria and enter your nostrils. Then I will make my way to your sinus cavities and, at the count of ten, change into an elephant. Your head will explode."

Dr. Light turned even more pale.

"The reason why I will do this is because using the other methods, the Titans, combined, could possibly stop me and I want to be certain. Once I change into a bacteria, there's no one here who can stop me. No one can stop me. And at the count of ten, you will die."

"One"

Dr. Light began to tremble.

"Two"

Dr. Light brought his gun away from Raven's temple.

"Three"

Dr. Light very carefully handed Raven over to Beast Boy. He took her in his arms all the while still looking at Dr. Light. Cyborg had never really understood how someone could look with steely determination, but at that moment, looking in Beast Boy's eyes, he understood. Dr. Light also understood. He backed slowly away from Beast Boy and put his gun on the ground.

In a very nervous, trembling voice, Dr. Light said, "I think I want to go back to prison now, please." Several officers moved, carefully, over to the villain and handcuffed him. All gave Beast Boy a very cautious look.

Cyborg realized two things that day. First, his friend, Beast Boy, prankster, clown, jokester, was a very dangerous man. He knew exactly what he was doing, had plans, back up plans and was not to ever be underestimated.

Second, Cyborg knew Beast Boy's whole being was focused on compassion. Robin's was on justice, Starfire's was on honor. Raven, well, who knows WHAT Raven's motivations were. But Beast Boy was always compassionate. That's why he used minimum force in battles, was always the first to help everyone, wouldn't eat meat, wouldn't harm any animal at any time.

Yet, he was ready to kill. Everyone knew it. It radiated from his entire being. He was willing to instantaneously throw out everything he was and believed in.

Because Raven was in danger.

He must really love her.

_Present Time_

Thinking back, Cyborg mused. _"Never had any problem with Light again. Come to think of it, only saw him one other time and he immediately surrendered. Never had any problems with any of the regular crooks. Word must have gotten around. Fights ok, threatening Raven deliberately, Gar would go after you. Hmmm, no one ever went after Mark either and we never hid his identity. Guess Gar scared the bad guys more than anyone ever realized."_

"Yeah," Cyborg repeated to Nightwing. "He loves her."

"How about her?"

Cyborg thought,_ "How about Raven? That was always the question. Once you knew, it was easy to see how much Gar loved Raven. It permeated his entire essence. Nothing he did was without the foundation of his love for his wife. "_

"_But Raven is so remote, so cold. She's a good friend, always there and ready to help. But always with a distance to her. Did she really love Gar?"_

"Don't know." Cyborg replied.

_**But cannot comprehend the meaning of**_

Next – Rita's Memories

Xxxxxx

As usual, my thanks to the various people who have reviewed my work to date.

**Novus Ordo Seclorum **– You will find throughout the story, each Titan will realize just how much Gar means to them. And what they will do for him.

**The Force is Strong with This One **– Personally, I can't believe it hasn't been tried yet. Seemed like a logical juxtaposition to me. Maybe I've read TOO much. Still, I hope you enjoy the progress of Gar and Raven's relationship as seen by the Titans and their family (NO, I promise Trigon is NOT a visitor).

**Raven of Alaska, ChicoMagnifico, Moonlight123, Wolvmbm **– I apologize for giving you short shrift and combining you together. However, you're questions/requests are all similar. I WILL continue this towards the end. It will take a couple more days for me to get the next chapter up as I had a backlog and am now caught up. Still, I'll write as fast as my fingers can type (and I can review; remember, always review.)

And by the way, I'm always interested in a review and, as you can see, I'll always answer.

Until next time my friends.


	4. Chapter 4

I do not own the Teen Titans. Nor do I own the rights to the song, "Too Young"

Too Young – Rita's Memories

**And yet, we're not too young to know**

Rita Farr, Elasti-girl of the Doom Patrol, adopted mother of Garfield Logan, sat in the living room. For the moment, it was too oppressive in her dying son's bedroom. While no parent should ever outlive their child, for a family of heroes and crimefighters, the reality was different. You had to be prepared. At any time the word could come, your husband is dead, your son is dead.

You're never prepared.

The fantasy that is the life of a hero is make-believe. The good guys always win, the bad guys always lose. A cure is found. The hero is revived by the true love's kiss.

Reality is far different. People get sick and die. Sometimes there are no cures.

Rita was trying to accept this. It was difficult. She had already lost Larry (Negative Man), Cliff (Robotman) hadn't been heard from in months. She didn't even know if he was aware of Gar's condition. She couldn't believe he would stay away if he did. That means either he doesn't know yet or, or….

Let's not think of that.

And Steve, Steve….her husband, her love.

Let's especially not think of that.

To distract herself, while sitting on the couch, she looked outside the window onto the deck. There were two of Gar's teammates, his friends, Dick and Vic, standing there talking. It looked like they were getting into a heated discussion over something. At least Victor looked angry.

Well, it was really none of her business. Her concern was lying some 25 feet away, in a bed, dying.

There was nothing she could do.

It was all she could do not to break down. Her son, her little boy. He would always be her little boy, as long as he was alive. Which wasn't for very long.

No, let's not think of that. She had to stay strong for Mark. He would need her. She couldn't tell if his mother would be there for him. She never could understand Raven and her….peculiar…behavior. Still, Raven was there by his bedside, while she was out here. She sighed.

Mark Logan entered the room from the bedroom. "Grandma, there you are. Are you ok?"

"_Always concerned about others,"_ thought Rita. _"How very much like his father he is."_ "Yes, dear, as well as you can expect."

"Why are you out here then?"

"Oh, I needed to move around a little."

Mark accepted that as the reason. He had a small, very small, touch of his mother's empathy. He knew that she was having difficulty with the condition of his dad. So he tried to change the subject.

"How's Grandpa?" immediately, he knew that was a mistake.

Rita let out another sigh. How to tell him? She knew he was aware of the situation; still, she didn't like to talk about it. Well, it couldn't be avoided.

"Dear, he's continuing to deteriorate. It's slow, but steady."

"I thought the Mento helmet would help."

"It does, but Alzheimer's can't be put off forever. It's strange, although the helmet increased the probability of the disease, it also seems to have lengthened its effects. I don't know if that's good or bad."

Mark looked confused. "I don't get it, he'll stay alive longer. Why would that be bad? I think it's great that we'll have him for years yet."

Rita looked at her grandson. He was still so young. So full of the passion of youth. Still believing that life was everything. Not realizing that the quality of life also played a part. "Mark, his memory continues to fade."

"Yeah, so?" Mark was obviously confused.

"Honey, with Alzheimer's, a person's memory fades from the latest memories to the earliest. He no longer remembers much of his Doom Patrol years. He doesn't even remember…" Rita stopped for a moment, then continued. "He no longer even remembers your father. Many days, he doesn't even remember me."

"Oh," muttered Mark, obviously upset. "Then that's why he's not here."

"Yes, all he would see is a sick man in bed. He wouldn't even realize that's his son."

"Shit. I didn't realize it was that far along."

"Don't curse, Mark," Rita said automatically. She had been trying to break him of this habit for years now. At least he wasn't using the more vulgar phrases anymore. "Yes, dear, there would be no point."

And Rita thought, _"Perhaps that's really for the best in the end. There are some things he shouldn't remember between him and Gar. They were always fighting one another. Always at loggerheads. At least when Gar was young, it was mostly Steve yelling at Gar. Gar always took it. He tried so hard to be the person Steve wanted. I'm sure that's why he ran away and joined the Titans. He didn't believe he could ever be the son Steve wanted. How it must have hurt him."_

"_And yet, and yet, he did grow up to be a fine man. Loving, compassionate, someone that Steve was proud of, when he would admit it. He has a fine son and a…..wife, Mark's mother."_ It was easier for Rita if she thought of her that way. _"Perhaps at that, it's better that Steve NOT remember everything. There are some things he's probably happier not to remember."_

_30 years earlier_

The news that Beast Boy and Raven were engaged to be married spread like wildfire. It was front page news in Jump City, as well as most of the United States. Overseas, it was page two. Within the superhero community it was the only topic talked about. Two teenage heroes, engaged. It was rare that ANY hero got married. But two teenagers? What were they thinking? WERE they EVEN thinking?

Eventually, the news reached the Doom Patrol. It took a month or so as they were tracking the last remnants of the Brotherhood of Evil, but eventually the Justice League communications network was able to contact them and inform them of current events. To say the least, Mento and Elasti-girl were upset. Leaving the trail, they made their way to Jump City and Titans Tower.

They showed up on the doorstep of Titan's Tower, roughly six weeks after the announcement, in the early afternoon.

Robin answered the door.

"Mento, hey, good to see…"

"LET ME IN!"

Without waiting for an invitation in, Mento pushed his way past Robin, Elasti-girl following.

"GARFIELD! GARFIELD! WHERE ARE YOU? GET DOWN HERE RIGHT NOW!" shouted Mento.

"Ah, I see you've heard." Muttered Robin.

"You bet I heard! I counted on you as the leader to keep this kind of foolish irresponsibility from happening. I KNEW this was a mistake. I never should have let a pack of irresponsible hormone driven kids alone. I should have taken charge and kept you all in line, molded you like a proper team."

Robin bristled at the charge. 'Irresponsible'? 'A proper team'? What did he think they had been doing for the past few years, playing games? Robin began fuming at the idea. And he had thought Bruce was obnoxious.

"Honey, Steve," began Rita, "please calm down." She had seldom seen him in this kind of state. Come to think of it, the last time he was this upset was when Gar disobeyed him and rescued them instead of smashing the Brain's machinery. "Blaming Robin for this is not going to solve anything."

"Solve what? Hi Rita, Hi Steve, you bellowed?" Beast Boy came into the Common Room, Raven at his side.

"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING, YOUNG MAN!"

"Steve," interrupted Rita, again, "calm down and stop shouting." Beast Boy had looked around confused. Raven simply looked at Mento. Starfire and Cyborg, hearing the commotion in the common room, came rushing in. Both looked at the tableau in front of them and sat down on the couch to wait for the fireworks to resume. Robin, still muttering to himself, also decided to sit down. This did not look promising, but in the face of an older, more experienced hero, he wasn't sure what to do. Especially one that was a parent of a teammate, Trigon didn't count, he wasn't a hero.

With a bit of an effort, Mento got himself under control. In a quieter, but not softer, voice, he asked again, "What do you think you are doing, young man?"

"I assume you are talking about me and Raven. We're going to be married."

"Who gave you permission?"

"Why do we need permission? We love each other and want to make this commitment." Beast Boy was starting to get upset himself. Unfortunately, he had spent most of his time with Mento being yelled at and was not very used to speaking up against him.

"You are far too young to even think about getting married, you barely know this…person. You haven't gotten her in trouble, have you?" Mento suddenly looked worried.

"NO! I..I..we…NO!" answered Beast Boy, getting very red in the face. This was NOT a conversation he wanted to have in front of his friends, nor his parents, nor his fiancé, not even in front of himself for that matter.

"Well, that's a relief at least. We can put an end to this foolishness now without any ramifications." Mento sighed with relief.

"What do you mean put an end to this? We're getting married."

"This is simply some teenage infatuation. You're only 16. You are far too young for marriage. We'll stop the entire thing right now and bring you back with us. You're too young for such adult behavior and responsibility," answered Mento.

Beast Boy was obviously upset, yet, it was Raven who spoke next.

"Excuse me, Mento. I'm trying to understand something. Gar has been with the Titans for several years now and was with the Doom Patrol for a number of years before. So, at 16 or 13 or 11, he was old enough and responsible enough to fight criminals and evil masterminds. He was old enough to put his life in danger every day with your blessing. He was old enough to be left on his own with a group of teenage crimefighters, again, putting his life on the line at a moment's notice to help people. But he's not old enough or responsible enough to have a relationship and get married? I just want to make sure my understanding of this is correct." All through this, Raven had spoken in her normal monotone, her face carefully controlled.

There was dead silence in the room.

Rita thought to herself, _"We're going to lose this battle right here. How on earth can Steve say Garfield's too young for love and marriage when he's old enough to die? This girl is sharp."_

Mento stood there for a moment, fuming. You could practically see his blood pressure go up. Then, instead of answering Raven's question, he said, "YOU KEEP OUT OF THIS. This is all your fault, demon, you soulless witch. You have NO concept of anything to do with love, demon. You've probably cast some sort of spell on him. Well, we know plenty of magic users as well and we'll end your foul hold on him."

Raven continued her impassive stare at Mento. Beast Boy, however, did not. His eyes narrowed and his lips compressed tightly. He walked up to his adopted father.

And punched him square across the jaw.

Mento went down flat, out cold.

What most people do not realize is that Beast Boy, while not particularly big or well built, was wiry and quite strong in his own way. If you are not prepared for a punch, and most people instinctively brace themselves when they see it coming, the effects are accentuated.

In a very tight voice, Beast Boy turned to his adopted mother and said, "Get him out of here. He is not welcome here. He will never be welcome here again." With that, Beast Boy turned and stormed out, Raven right beside him.

The stunned silence in the room lengthened. The Titans all looked at one another. Beast Boy decked him. Put him out cold. They couldn't believe it.

Rita looked at the doorway where her son and his girlfriend, no, fiancé, had just left.

He hit Steve.

She was stunned. She couldn't believe what just happened. Garfield never stood up to Steve. He cowered or cried or, if things went really bad, ran. Like when he ran away from the Patrol and joined the Titans. He never fought back.

Without saying a word, Elasti-girl elongated her left arm to a size large enough to pick up her husband. She carried him over to the front door and, wordlessly, left. Placing Mento across the back seat of their flyer, Rita got into the pilot's seat and sat there for a moment.

He hit Steve.

I can't believe it.

He hit Steve.

He never fights back.

He hit Steve.

He must love her for real.

He hit Steve.

He must really love her.

_Present Time_

"_No," _thought Rita, _"it's probably better that Steve doesn't remember a number of things that have happened. It took years for the two to reconcile. I had to go the wedding by myself, Steve wasn't invited. I almost didn't go, but Steve insisted. He felt terrible about his reaction. Well, several months later he felt terrible. "_

"_No, for the most part he felt betrayed. Betrayed that his son had struck him. And not in battle or training, but in cold fury. Steve always could be blind to how he was treating others. Still, it made him an effective leader of the Patrol."_

"Grandma?"

"_Still, they did eventually reconcile. Mostly after Mark was born. The idea of a grandson thrilled Steve. He turned out to be more sentimental than even I thought. I still can't get over see him give piggy back rides to Mark. What a doting grandfather."_

"Grandma?!"

"_There was always still a distance between Steve and Raven though. Probably a result of his strict Catholic upbringing. Well, I tried, well, I tried some, anyway. She's so difficult to get close to, so closed and unreadable. You can never know what she thinks or feels."_

"Grandma!?!"

Rita started. "I'm sorry dear, what did you say? I'm afraid I was remembering the past. A habit of the old. We have so much to remember that it crowds out the present at times."

"Are you ready to go back in to Dad?"

"No, but I'll do it anyway. Why don't you stay here. You've been up and attending to everything all evening. Give yourself a breather."

"Weeeelllll," said Mark, "I really shouldn't. Mom might need me."

"Your mother doesn't seem to need anyone," Rita said without thinking.

"GRANDMA! That's not fair." Mark's quick temper (like his mother's) began to flame.

"I'm sorry dear, I shouldn't have said that. But I have to admit, I've never understood your mother."

His temper cooling, Mark replied, "Well, you're not alone."

"Still, I'm sorry. Why don't you wait here and rest for a moment. I'll see if your mother needs anything."

"All right."

With that, Rita rose from the couch and made her way to the bedroom. As she entered it, she considered the scene in front of her. Her son, lying, dying, on the bed, hooked up to various monitors. Raven, sitting there, watching his chest rise and fall slower and slower as the life drained out of him.

Thinking back to her last comment to her grandson, Rita considered. "Does she really need anyone? Still no emotion, no sign of distress. Just a presence. Garfield was ready to stand up to his father for her. To actually STRIKE him for her. What has she done? After all these years, I still don't understand her. I don't even know whether she truly loves him."

With that, Garfield's mother entered his bedroom, to be with him during the last few moments of his life.

**And yet, we're not too young to know**

Next – Nightwing's Memories

XXXXXX

I am grateful that so many people are actually reading this. While it doesn't nearly match most of the more popular stories (which are REALLY good), I'm grateful for the response.

I'm also grateful that more folks are reviewing the story. As I said, I'm not one who will refuse to write unless I get X number of reviews. I write, as do most writers, out of a desire to pour forth the tales in my soul. Still, reviews are always (ALWAYS) appreciated.

And speaking of my reviewers, in order of submission,

The Force Is Strong With This One – Believe me, I did not intend to copy your concept, it just occurred to me that it was a good structure for a story. Fortunately, I put a twist on it. By the by, next chapter you WILL find out who Dick's other wife was. Thank you for your kind words.

Novus Ordo Seclorum – You've hit on a good portion of this story, the impact of an impending death on everyone. Still, I'll try not to keep you waiting TOO long. I appreciate your interest in my tales, as I've said earlier, I'm a fan of Collateral Damage, so the respect is mutual.

ChicoMagnifico – That depends on what you mean by 'well'. We'll see. I actually have read some of your Titans stories in the past. Please let me finish this story, then I'll revisit them and review. It would be my pleasure.

Wolvembm & Raven of Alaska – Please forgive me for combining you together, but your comments are similar. As you can see, Rita's viewpoint is far different than the Titans. To lose a child, even an adopted one is heart wrenching. That's what I'm trying to convey. As for Rita's impression of Raven, well, as you can see, it's slightly (very slightly) more charitable.

BeastBoyfangirl – My dear, I'm sorry, but Beast Boy will NOT get better. I'm not giving anything away by saying he will die. This is an event that everyone has to face. The story is my, inadequate, because all stories are inadequate in the face of death, attempt to show how his passing will affect all of the Titans.

SomewhereInTime – Dick is not stupid. Yes, he is (in this story) an idiot and self centered. Hopefully, in this next chapter and the final chapter, you will come to appreciate him better. Despite his self-centeredness, he has a good heart and a burning need for justice and fairness. You'll see hints of that in the next chapter.

Until next time my friends.


	5. Chapter 5

I do not own the Teen Titans. Nor do I own the rights to the song, "Too Young"

Too Young – Nightwing's Memories

**This love will last, though years may go**

Dick Grayson stood on the deck, watching one of his oldest friends reenter the house, to be with another one of his oldest friends. Who was dying. And he was out here. Looking at the stars, wondering at his own long strange journey.

"_Humpf,"_ he thought_, "how did he do it? Kory and I loved each other. Babs and I loved each other. How did he make his marriage to Raven work and I couldn't, either time. I mean, two complete opposites, and he did it. I tried two opposites, I tried two similarities, neither worked."_

Nightwing's shoulders slumped. When he was honest with himself, and on a night like this, he had no choice but to be honest with himself, he knew.

"_My mission. My need to protect others. I can't ever seem to put that aside long enough for myself and those I care about. Damn it, Bruce, why'd you have to bring me into your holy mission."_

He thought for a moment_, "No, even that's not fair. Gar saw his parents die, he was raised, indoctrinated, by Mento, who sometimes makes Bruce look like a model parent. Yet look how he turned out. He was able to put that all aside and become something different. I wasn't, that's not me. Somehow, Bruce saw that. Mento didn't. So I became a copy of Bruce and Gar, Gar became a husband and father."_

Nightwing continued to ponder_, "Why did he do it? Didn't he realize how dangerous it was? That's one of the reasons Kory and I broke up. I wasn't willing to give up my mission for her, and I wouldn't father a child, even though she wanted one. Same with Babs. She knew how dangerous our lives are, we could be killed at any moment and leave our child parentless. How could we do to another what was done to us? Well, it was different for her, she didn't lose her folks to murder."_

"_Yet Gar did it, and it worked. Mark is a marvelous young man. Kind, compassionate, just like his dad. Without the terrible sense of humor."_ Dick chuckled to himself.

"_Maybe I was wrong. As it turned out, we would have both lived to see our children grow up. But I wasn't willing to take that chance. Things still could have turned out differently. How did Gar see so far ahead? When did he so wise regarding marriage and relationships?"_

28 Years Earlier

"_DAMN, DAMN, DAMN! Why doesn't she understand?!"_ thought Robin as he made his way to the roof of Titans Tower. "_After all this time, you'd think she'd get it. She's not stupid, she's a princess, she understands the concept of responsibility. Why doesn't she understand I have a responsibility!"_ Normally, he would head for the gym after a fight with Starfire and work out his frustrations on the punching bag. Today, something made him retreat to the roof. He needed fresh air after the latest in an increasing number of fights with his wife. Once he reached the roof, he let out a very un-Robin like yell of frustration.

"Problems in paradise?" a voice said from the other side of the roof.

Robin whirled around. He hadn't expected anyone else up here. "Beast Boy…uh….what are you doing up here?"

"Came up here to see the sunset. Raven's meditating and I need some fresh air. Also, I needed to put some distance between an argument and me."

"Argument? You mean you and Raven were fighting?" This was unusual, as far as Robin could determine, Gar and Raven never fought.

Within three months of the 'discussion' between Gar and his adopted father, he and Raven were married. It was a quiet ceremony, only close friends were invited and Rita, Gar's adopted mother. Mento was NOT invited. The private ceremony was unusual to say the least, a wedding between heroes was a cause for extensive celebration and, usually, the entire community of heroes was invited. However, due to the age of the participants, and the general disapproval, Gar and Raven kept it private.

However, within six months, Starfire and Robin were also married. Again, in a quiet, private ceremony. Only the Titans, Batman and Alfred were in attendance. Again, because of the general disapproval of the marriage of two teens at such a young age. Starfire had, finally, demanded a commitment, one way or another, from Robin; and Robin, believing he loved Starfire and seeing the happiness of his friends Gar and Raven, acquiesced.

The problems began shortly after. You see, Gar and Raven were far different from Robin and Starfire, each of them had wants and need far different from the other. Within one month of the honeymoon, the bloom was off the rose and fights began. And continued. And intensified.

"Noooo, not Raven and me. My fearless leader and his princess from the stars" Beast Boy responded.

"How?" Robin replied, nonplussed. He had had all the rooms soundproofed years ago, figuring that married couples would DEFINITELY want privacy in their own rooms.

"These ears aren't just for show. You know how well I hear."

"But, the soundproofing….."

"Oh, it does a good job in cutting down the sound. I can't make out the actual words, but believe me, I can tell by tone and intensity what's going on. I'm not empathic like Rae is, but I've a pretty good idea of what goes on at all times from my animal senses."

"oh" said Robin in a quiet voice. He was extremely uncomfortable knowing that the other Titans knew about his problems with Kory.

"Before you run away and hide," Robin bristled at that, "why don't you come over here and sit and watch the sunset? Maybe it'll give you some perspective." Suggested Beast Boy.

"I don't have time.."

"SIT!"

Robin was stunned. Beast Boy rarely, if ever, was that insistent. "Ok." He moved over to the side of the Tower to where Gar was sitting, got down with his legs hanging over the edge and watched the sunset.

It was peaceful. No fighting, no arguing, just watching the sunset. _"This is nice. Wonder why I don't do it more often,"_ thought Robin.

"Better?"

"Some"

"Good"

The two sat for a while, continuing to watch the sun dip below the horizon. Once the sun was below the horizon and the sky was turning blue to purple and black, and the brighter stars where starting to appear, Beast Boy spoke.

"What's up?"

"Nothing"

"Please, let's not go through this 'I'm Robin and I never have problems and I'm better than all of you and you wouldn't understand'. WHAT'S UP!?"

Again, Robin was nonplussed. This was highly unlike Beast Boy. He never pushed.

Sighing, Robin replied, "It's Kory."

"No fooling."

Robin got a little irritated with Gar's response. OK, maybe it was obvious, but talking about his issues, even with his close friends, was never easy for Robin.

"She wants me to spend more time with her. She wants me to give up my night patrols to be with her. Why can't she understand that there are people out there who need to be protected?" As he spoke, his voice got louder and louder.

"Hmm, that is a problem. Can you cut down your patrols to half a night or every other night?"

Robin looked at Beast Boy incredulously. "Are you saying I should abandon the city for my own pleasure?!"

"No, I'm saying could you be with your wife, your partner a bit more."

"She could join me on my patrols."

"Does she?"

"Occasionally, mostly, no."

"So, she gives in, occasionally. When do you give in?"

Robin looked at Gar again. "What do you mean 'when do I give in?' I've got a job to do, like a police officer or a firefighter. I can't just decide to let a building burn down because my wife wants me to watch a movie with her."

"Ah.."

"What does that mean?"

"Nothing, it just means that you feel you have a greater duty than to your wife. Many people do. It's not always an unmanageable problem. What else?"

"What do you mean 'What else?'" Robin found that he was saying this more and more to Beast Boy. Very uncharacteristically, his questions were penetrating to the heart of the matte. When did he become so aware of human behavior, he always seemed rather clueless.

"_Seemed, hmmm, I know that Gar's a lot smarter than he lets on. Apparently, he's also a lot more perceptive than he lets on as well."_

"Dick," Beast Boy uncharacteristically used Robin's real name, "stop playing games with me. This isn't the time and I'm, for once, not interested. There's too much going on and I have my own issues as well. Can we get to yours?"

"Whoa, what's going on with you?"

"Nope, you first, then I'll spill."

Robin sighed again. He hated losing and he hated not knowing. However, he realized that Beast Boy would not say anything unless he was ready. It was really remarkable. Given how talkative and apparently scatterbrained Beast Boy was, he was surprisingly good at keeping his private problems to himself. For years, he had no idea of Beast Boy's past, his relationship with his adoptive parents.

His relationship with his wife.

"She wants kids."

"Sounds good to me," replied Beast Boy.

"Are you kidding? Kids," Robin's ire was rising again. "We could be killed at any time. Do you know what that could do…to…a……."

"Yes, in fact, I do know."

Robin felt somewhat ashamed. Of all the Titans, Beast Boy understood. Like Robin, his parents had died when he was young. While Robin had immediately been taken in by Bruce Wayne (Batman), Beast Boy had gone through a number of torturous situations before finally being adopted by Steve Dayton and Rita Farr of the Doom Patrol.

"Then, you understand. How could I do to a child what was done to us? My God, I went through hell when my folks were killed, and I'll bet you went through the same. And Kory wants kids."

"Well, what do you expect? She's royalty. All royalty does is get their pictures in the paper, get drunk and have babies."

Robin was furious. "Maybe useless Earth royalty, but Kory is responsible for an entire planet! She needs to keep the bloodline going. Without a child the throne will go to her sister. How can you want……" Robin suddenly stopped talking. He realized that he was saying exactly what Kory had been saying, in a roundabout way, for months.

"So, sounds like she has a good reason to want kids. Sounds like you have a good reason to NOT want to have kids. Where does that leave you two?"

Robin hung his head down. "I don't know," he said quietly.

"Somewhere in there is a compromise. You know, that's really what marriage is about, compromise. No one gets their way all the time."

"How about you and Raven?"

"Oh, there are compromises, believe me. I'm working on one right now that's similar to yours."

Robin was confused. "What do you mean?"

"Rae wants a child."

"Have you told her she's crazy!? What if you die in a fight? What happens to the child?"

"Oh, that's not the issue." Beast Boy said quietly.

"Huh?"

"The issue is CAN we have kids? What's the one characteristic of crossbreeds?"

Robin thought for a few moments. There were many characteristics, which one would apply in this case. Then it struck him.

"They're sterile."

"Right as always. Add that to my incredibly unstable DNA and you have a major problem."

"So, what do you do?"

"Well, as far as Rae's concerned, we look and see if she has ANY fertile eggs in her body. There are thousands and, hopefully, we'll be able to find at least a few that have a chance at being fertile. If so, then we do in vitro and implant the egg back in her so she can carry."

"What about you?"

"Ahhh, there's the problem. You see, my DNA is SO unstable, my sperm can't exist in a fertile state for long outside of my body. So we have to come up with a way to either stabilize my sperm or quickly inject my sperm into the egg before the intrinsic instability renders it infertile."

Robin was shocked. Like most teenage boys, you just assumed that you 'did the deed' and the baby appeared nine months later. He hadn't really considered the…unique….problems that Raven and Gar faced.

"So, what are you going to do?"

"That's what I'm up here to decide. I can undergo testing to see if they can stabilize my DNA long enough for me to make Rae pregnant. Highly unlikely as my DNA continues to become more unstable over the years. Or, they can try to make my sperm stable enough for in vitro."

"How would they do that?"

"By sticking a lot of needles in a place I do NOT want needles and trying to extract relatively stable sperm."

Robin winced. He knew what Gar was referring to and if there is one thing that EVERY guy dreads, it's someone messing with THAT area. Especially if there was pain involved. Then Robin remembered another factor.

"Hold it, if I remember, you have a major phobia about doctors and needles going back to the original treatment your folks gave you."

"Right"

"So, that's out."

"Is it?"

Robin was nonplussed. This was occurring far too frequently for his taste during this conversation.

"What do you mean?"

"Dick, Rae REALLY wants a child. I think it's to compensate for how she was raised and for the fact of her demon heritage. She wants to prove that she's not evil and can provide something good to the world."

"But, she's a hero. She helps people every day. Doesn't that prove it?"

"Apparently not."

Robin let that sink in for a moment. While he didn't fully understand Raven, no one did except her husband, if he really did, these motivations were within his understanding.

"So, what are you going to do?"

Beast Boy didn't answer immediately. In fact, he stayed quiet for quite a long while. After a time, he got up and made his way to the door downstairs. Before opening the door, he turned to his friend.

"Compromise Dick, that's what makes a marriage, compromise. And love. Always love. If it doesn't start with that, what's the point? "

And Beast Boy went downstairs.

"_Compromise"_ thought Robin. _"Humpf! I always see HIM compromise, I always see HIM do it for her. I never see HER do it for HIM!"_

"_Still, looks like he's willing to do it. They're going to stick needles in his…."_ Robin shuddered.

"_All for her. Boy, he must really love her."_

_Present Time_

Dick thought, _"Took a few tries, but Raven was able to conceive and carry to term. And Gar went through the procedures each time, for days to get sperm that was usable."_

"Compromise", Nightwing said aloud. "Well Gar, you were right. I guess I owe you."

And Dick Grayson walked off the deck, into the house, towards his friend's bedroom, where he lay dying.

"_Still, I wish I knew where Raven made her compromises to prove her love."_

**This love will last, though years may go**

Next – Mark's Memories

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hopefully, this will show that Nightwing isn't the "jerk" that everyone thought he was. His reasons were good, even if they were contrary to what Starfire wanted. Unfortunately, it led to the dissolution of their marriage, as well as his to Barbara Gordon (Babs). His fault, yes and no, given his life, do you blame him? I can't.

My thanks to you, the readers, I'm "this" close to 1000 hits on my story, for which I'm extremely thankful (and surprised). With luck, you'll approve of this glimpse of the friendship of Gar and Dick.

As always, I especially grateful to my reviewers. Once, again, in order of submission.

Somewhere in Time – Hopefully, this will satisfy you on my viewpoint of Dick. As I said originally, at times I think he is an idiot, but his heart is good.

The Force is Strong With This One – Believe me, I did not mean to imply that I thought that you thought I stole your idea (and let's leave it at that, I'm losing track). There really aren't that many story ideas overall and almost everything is a variation on a theme. By the end, you'll know Raven's POV. Even though she didn't make an appearance in this chapter.

Wolvembm – As you can see from the coming attractions, Mark is next on the list. And yes, Steve is a jerk. Not like Dick is a jerk. Steve is a REAL jerk.

ChicoMagnifico – Hopefully, the end of this chapter will give you a hint of the coming interaction between Dick and Kory.

Mors101, XdarkbirdX, BeastBoyFanGirl – Again, I apologize for combining you. I'm glad you are enjoying the story and that the introduction of Mento and Elastic-Girl into the storyline was fun. You're right, people tend to forget that BB has adopted parents.

Novus Ordo Seclorum – Thank you for noticing how the lyrics relate to the story. I tried quite hard to get it to work. There are only two more lines, and one is for Mark. The ending, ahh, the ending. Believe it or not, the ending is already written. I just need to use Mark for the bridge and we will be ready for the finale.

Tutrya – Thank you for enjoying the story. Yes, you are correct. If you look veeerrry carefully, you can see some of Raven's viewpoint. Most visibly in Rita's memories. If you notice, much of the time, Raven isn't even in the story. That's by design.

Until next time my friends.


	6. Chapter 6

I do not own the Teen Titans. Nor do I own the rights to the song, "Too Young"

Too Young – Mark's Memories

**And then, someday, they may recall**

Mark Richard Logan watched his grandmother leave the room, walking in unsteady steps towards his father's bedroom. He let his head fall backward on the couch. This was far more difficult than he expected. Of course, he never expected anything to happen to his dad. His dad was invincible. A hero, he could go through any danger, any problem and finish off with a terrible joke.

He was going to miss those jokes. Probably more than anything else. Strange, isn't it? The things that bother you most about your folks when you are young are the things you find you miss the most. Probably because they make the biggest impression on you. Mark had HATED those jokes when he was 16. Why couldn't his dad be serious? He was a renown hero, known by everyone in Jump City. Hell, he was known all around the world. Yet he still told terrible jokes.

God, what he wouldn't give to hear one more. Probably the last one he heard was when the doctor told him and Mom about his condition. He told Mom to get a refund on the serum used to cure him. It had a warranty of 50 years and he only got 47 out of it.

Mom almost threw him through the wall on that one. She would have too, if he hadn't been in such pain. Even Mark could feel it with his limited empathic abilities. Dad was really hurting. Yet he wouldn't show it. How did he do it? Always, Dad was able to put aside what he was feeling and what he needed to make everyone else feel better.

Mark felt horribly inadequate. How was he ever going to live up to his father? How was he going to be able to help Mom? He wasn't a hero; he had no powers. Even surrounded by legendary heroes, people he had grown up with, he couldn't know exactly what they did. Hell, he still didn't even have a steady job. Never could think of anything he wanted to do other than to help Mom and Dad help people. So he stayed in the background and supported them.

Now, Dad was dying. The only one left to support was Mom. And she was so strong she didn't need anyone.

Uncle Vic walked in from the deck. He saw Mark and walked over to him. Bending down, he put his hand on Mark's shoulder and asked, "How ya doin', kid?"

"I'll make it," Mark replied. "It's just tough right now. Waiting is the worst."

"I know Mark," Cyborg replied. "Sorry to tell you, it never gets easier. But, you'll do ok. You've got a strength in you like your dad. Never understood it, small, scrawny, yet he has a strength in him that puts most to shame, never gave up, even when all seemed lost. You've got that too."

"Thanks Vic. Problem, all really is lost now. There's no miracle escape this time. Is there?" Mark ended the question on hopeful note.

Cyborg gave a long, sad, sigh. "Guess I'll go back into the room. Need anything?" Mark shook his head.

And Cyborg walked back into the dying man's bedroom, leaving Mark alone once again.

"_No, there's no miracle escape. Dad will die tonight. Shit."_ Mark thought. _"Shit, shit, shit. Good thing Grandma can't hear my thoughts."_

Though, like most sons, he never really let his dad know, he admired him tremendously. And, like most sons, he thought his dad was eternal, indestructible. _"What am I going to do without him? Sure, Mom's there, she's always there. There, but not really there."_

This made Mark focus on his mom for a moment. _"She's always been so private, so reserved. Only Dad could make her respond in more than just a monotone. And that was mostly to throw him through a wall."_ Mark chuckled to himself. _"It was like living in a 3 Stooges short, Dad was Curly, Mom was Moe. I guess that makes me Larry."_

The humor died quickly. _"No, Mom was never Moe, no matter how hard Dad tried. Mom was Mom. It was so tough for her. When I was a little kid, I never understood. Even after Dad explained it, I didn't really understand. I'm not sure I fully get it now. But I get it better."_

_16 Years Earlier_

It took a few tries. Raven miscarried twice, but remained determined. On the third try, she was able to carry to term and delivered a beautiful baby boy. Surprisingly, it had human coloring and appearance. The thought was that Beast Boy's animal genes, the epitome of nature, counteracted the demon heritage of Raven, the epitome of 'unnaturalness'. The net result was a normal human boy. They named him Mark, after Beast Boy's father, and Richard, after the closest thing Raven had to a father. His middle name was NOT going to be Trigon. The negation went beyond just coloring; he had no powers whatsoever, save only the most minor of empathic abilities. He remained a sweet tempered, good natured boy. He went to day care, then to preschool, then to school. He was smart, but not brilliant. Athletic enough not to be embarrassed on the playground, but not a jock. In almost all ways, he was an ordinary young boy.

His parents were thrilled.

There was a day when Mark was 10 or so, that he came into the house, sulking. He sat down on the couch and continued to sulk. His father was on the other end of the couch watching TV. There was no mission currently needing his attention and things were quiet. Garfield looked at his son and waited. Then he looked back at the TV.

After a few moments, Mark snorted.

Garfield looked at his son, then back to the TV.

Not having gotten a response from his dad, Mark said, "I hate my life!"

"Anything in particular? Or just life in general?"

"Why can't I have a normal mom?"

"You do have a normal mom. She's a girl, that's normal."

"Dad."

"She's about the same height as the other moms."

"Dad!"

"She's actually thinner than a lot of the other moms."

"Dad!!"

"I will admit the purple hair is different. However, it's her natural color. She doesn't even have to touch it up."

"DAD!!! I'm serious!"

Garfield sighed. "Ok Mark, what's bugging you?"

"How come she never reacts to anything? Other kids' moms get excited and yell. They get hugs and kisses. Mom always just stands there and talks without any feelings."

His dad looked at him for a moment. You could see he was weighing what to say and how much to say in his mind. Finally, he let out a breath. "Well, if you're old enough to ask, you're old enough to know."

"Your mom does have feelings, never doubt that. But there's a problem with her being able to show them. Look, you know that she's a hero, Raven of the Titans, right?"

Mark gave his father a 'you're hopelessly dim, look', "Yes, Dad."

"Don't give me that look, especially when I'm trying to explain something."

"ok", Mark said in a small voice.

"Now, what are your mom's powers?"

This was an odd question. Mom could do all sorts of things, fly, do magic, throw Dad through a wall, often. "She, uhh, has that black shadow thing that moves other things?"

Garfield was pleased, Mark had focused exactly on the one thing that would help explain his mother. "Correct, she uses that 'black shadow' energy to manipulate other objects. Including her and me. That's how she flies. Have you ever wondered where it came from?"

"No", why would he, that's just the way it was.

"It's part of her soul. It's actually her in a spirit form. Now, she needs a major amount of concentration to control it."

"Why?"

Garfield thought for a moment, _"How to put this so he'll understand?"_ "Look, do you do anything you want? Scream when you're upset? Hit people when they bug you?"

"No, not usually."

"Why not?"

"Cause you and Mom would be upset. And I'd get in trouble. And my friends wouldn't like me anymore."

"Well, think of that 'black shadow' as Mom's feelings. The proper term is 'id', remember that for later, much later. Anyway, when she gets upset, unless she's very careful, she can't control her screaming."

"That still doesn't make sense, why can't she be happy and give hugs and kisses then?"

"Because that 'black shadow' doesn't know the difference. So ANYTHING that gets her exciting, whether it be mad, sad or happy, will let out the black shadow. And if she lets out the black shadow, a lot of bad things could happen."

"Like what?"

"Well, last time, the world was destroyed."

Mark looked wide-eyed at his dad. Then he realized his dad was joking with him and started to laugh.

"Mark, I'm not joking."

"Wha?"

"It took me and the other Titans, especially Uncle Dick, a great deal of work to put everything back the way it should be. Your mother is extremely powerful."

'"Wow!"

"Don't tell your mother I told you this, she'd be very upset. She's still ashamed of what happened with her father."

"Ok." Mark really didn't understand the reference to Mom's father, but one of the few things he had learned over the years was NEVER question Mom about her family.

"So, anyway, the point is that Mom has to keep ALL her feelings under control. That means she can only let the smallest feelings out, the harmless ones. The stronger the feelings…"

"The stronger the 'black shadow' would be."

"Exactly."

"So, when she says she loves me, but won't hug or kiss me or anything. It's to keep the 'black shadow' under wraps."

"Right. Remember, she can show her love in other ways. Remember her baking the cake for you last year?"

Mark remembered. He had wanted a 'home-made' cake, not a store bought cake for his birthday. Dad, who normally did the cooking, was away on a mission. Mom made the cake.

It was terrible.

After all these years, Raven never did learn what to do in a kitchen. That's why Garfield did all the cooking for them. You'd be amazed at how many ways you could prepare tofu.

"That cake was disgusting!"

"Mom can't cook, but she was willing to try. For YOU! That's how much she loves you."

"Soooo," said Mark slowly, "Mom has to show how she loves us in other ways. Cause she can do it like everyone else otherwise the 'black shadow' gets out."

"Right."

"Oh, I think I get it now." Mark really didn't, but he would think about for a while and finally get it, eventually. "I'm going out to play, see you later." Mark got off the couch and ran to the door.

Before he got there, he turned around. "Dad?"

"Yea Mark?"

"If Mom does things for me, like bake terrible cakes, to show how she loves me, how does she show you?"

"Never fear," smiled Garfield, "your mother loves me very much. Just as much as I love her. Trust me."

And Mark grinned and ran out the door. He knew his dad would never lie to him. He might joke or tease, but he would NEVER lie.

_Present Time_

Mark thought back. He had always trusted Dad. Dad was, almost, always right. Over the years, as his slight empathy began to show itself, he could, at times, feel his mother's love for him. It was subtle, quiet, but there when he (or she) wasn't expecting it.

He could never feel it regarding Dad, however. But, that was to be expected. The stronger the emotion, Dad said later, the more she had to control it. So, like most children, Mark simply assumed that his parents loved each other.

"_What's Mom going to do without him? Probably ok, she's so strong she never really seems to need anyone. Still, better be getting back inside, Dad doesn't have long."_ And that thought, rather surprisingly, chocked him up to where he almost broke down. "_NO, I don't have time, I don't have the luxury, of going to pieces. There are things bigger than me that need taking care of. Later…."_

In that respect, Mark was just like his father. Others always came first. There were people who needed support. Not just rescuing, but support. He would be there as long as they needed him.

And Mark walked back into his dad's bedroom. Moving over to his mom's side, he kissed the top of her head. "I love you."

His mother did not move. She continued to focus on her husband, watching his chest move slowly up and down as he breathing continued to weaken.

At the doorway to bedroom, Nightwing appeared. Kondar ignored him, as was expected. He had been told to permit his entrance into the dying man's room. Nightwing walked over to Raven and put a hand on her shoulder, trying to will as much support as he could through his body and into his friend.

After a moment, he lifted his hand from her shoulder.

Raven did not respond. She continued to watch her husband's breathing.

Dick Grayson walked over to Koriand'r and stood before her, staring.

**And then, someday, they may recall**

Next – The Final Moments

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This one was a little different. If you noticed, each chapter had ended with an epiphany, the moment when the individual fully realized that Beast Boy loved Raven. What do you do with a child? The assumption that every child has is that their parents love each other. Therefore, I focused on the moment when Mark accepted that because his dad told him it was so. As I said, a little different. Therefore, no angst, no confrontation, just a boy asking his dad about life. Plus a little of the 'traditional' Beast Boy humor.

For those of you who have been eagerly awaiting Raven's memories. You won't get them. The point of view is from the friends and family, NOT the couple that is the subject of their questioning. Still, in the final chapter to come, you'll know.

Meanwhile, my thanks to my readers. While I have no idea what is considered 'good', I'm thrilled that I have over 1400 hits and more than 500 readers. That people appreciate my little endeavor is especially heartwarming.

Furthermore, I received more reviews this time around than ever before. Again, I am extremely grateful and humbled (and getting greedy; so far, I'm enjoying these reviews as you've all been highly complementary. I'm now getting worried that I can't keep up the quality. Still, one does the best he can.) As is tradition, in order of submission,

TheForceIsStrongWithThisOne – You're correct, jokers grow up. But in doing so, their humor changes. And while it would be interesting to see the courtship (maybe another story, you've just fired a few more neurons), the scope of this story is the Titans and family and their response to the…unconventional….relationship between the two. I will be delighted to look at 'A Raven and Beast Boy Story'.

"The Unknown Reviewer" – You did not leave a name, nonetheless. I have NEVER thought Gar was mindless. Glad to know others feel the same way.

G. Login – Thank you. Someone else feels that the issue regarding Raven, besides her powers, is that she is intensely private. Fortunately, Gar respects her feelings and will not divulge them either.

PlayingtheBone, Alexpv22,Mors101 – Sigh, once again I've combined people. It's rude, I know, and I apologize. However, all of you focused on the same thing. Robin IS a jerk. But when you look at where he came from, what he went through and his motivations, well, sometimes you can forgive him.

Wolvmbm – How's this for a father/son talk? It's been a while since I've tried to use a 10-year old's speech patterns, so I'm a little rusty. Still I'm glad you enjoy it. The resolution to the Nightwing/Starfire subplot is a focus of the final chapter.

ChicoMagnifico – Thank you for you kind words. Truthfully, I am glad that this particular view of the…driveness…of Dick Grayson tempers the overall viewpoint that he's a jerk (ok, he is, but he has reason to be). Few people write a story about Gar and Dick as teammates/friends unless it turns into a Yaoi story. Some of the Yaois are really good, but sometimes, you need to focus on pure friendship. I tried here. Thanks for understanding.

Novus Ordo Seclorum – Once again, my thanks for your encouragement. Perhaps it's because I'm older that I understand the nature of marriage. At least I hope I do. After 17 years, compromise becomes a BIG part of it. Glad SOMEONE listened to Nat "King" Cole's Too Young. I tear up every time I hear it. Sometimes even when I only think of it. If I'm very lucky, I'll come even remotely close to the haunting beauty of that last line.

Raven of Alaska – I realize you've doubled up, sorry only one response per chapter. Still glad you enjoyed the scene between Steve and Gar (believe me, I had that one planned out waaayyy in advance, it was fun.) As for a Raven scene, as I mentioned above, this story is done from the perspective of family and friends on the relationship between Raven and Beast Boy. Since they saw very little of Raven, the focus naturally was on Beast Boy.

On Saturday, April 17th, I will post the finale. Until then my friends.


	7. Chapter 7

I do not own the Teen Titans. Nor do I own the rights to the song, "Too Young"

Too Young – The Final Moments

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**They tried to tell us we're too young, too young to really be in love**

**They say that love's a word, a word we've only heard**

**But cannot comprehend the meaning of**

**And yet, we're not too young to know**

**This love will last, though years may go**

**And then, someday, they may recall,**

xxxxxxxxxxxx

Dick stood in front of Kory, staring at her, she staring at him. Both of her sons in the background stood at the ready, waiting to see what actions needed to be taken. They would not dishonor their mother the Empress, but they also would not dishonor Garfield Logan. So they waited.

As did Kondar, standing in the doorway, waiting either for a sign from his Empress or some action by Him, that would impel him to take action.

Dick continued to look at Kory. Then, he went down to his knees, bowed his head and cast his arms straight out at each side.

"Jaccle con konn'le wre, Jaccle con konn'le fryn, Jaccle con konn'le quant" Dick began intoning.

Starfire was stunned. This was the Tamarean ritual of Blame, Humiliation, Subjugation and Forgiveness. Richard was asking for forgiveness from her. His phrasing was atrocious and his syntax was abominable. Was her's in English that bad? Behind her, her sons had a combination of surprise and insult on their faces. This was the young child's version of the ritual. How dare he give the short version!

Roughly twenty minutes later, after much intoning, a little hesitancy over verbiage, a number of missed words and backward phrases, Dick stopped. He remained on his knees, head bowed and arms out. Kory was still stunned. Where had he learned the ritual? Now what to do? Her turn in the ritual was next. She had three options, she could say she forgave him, she did not forgive him or, given that he used the children's version, demand he do the full ritual.

Well, the full ritual was out. First off, it took eight hours to perform and he would have to stand on his left foot, on his toes for the first four, then switch to his right for the final four. Humans simply didn't have that stamina. Second, she didn't think they had eight hours left before Beast Boy journeyed on. She didn't want to waste those last precious moments in petty revenge.

Did she want to forgive him though? She looked at the green man lying in bed. This was her friend, her comrade through the years. She knew what he would want, with his great heart. Could she deny him this last request? Could she find it in herself to forgive Richard?

Koriand'r thought back over the years, to her years with the Titans. They were good, fun, full of life and friends. This was a rarity for a princess and an Empress. She wanted it back.

"Tal Mach." (I accept)

As was the next step of the ritual, Starfire got up, stepped over to Nightwing and grabbed him under the arms, raising him to his feet. She lowered his arms and lifted his head (which still remained in the bowed position). While this concluded the ritual, it did not conclude the interaction between the two. Kory promptly hugged Dick, who hugged her back, each of them muttering in English, "I'm sorry".

Around the room, despite the gloom of the situation, spirits lifted. Cyborg was practically in tears himself. Rita and Mark, who knew some of the background, if not all, had small smiles on their faces. As befitting the heirs and the royal consort, the Empress's decision was final, so they accepted her decision. She had forgiven Richard Grayson; therefore, he was decreed to be an accepted acquaintance of the Empress. Their feelings were irrelevant.

The two former partners moved over to the bed where Gar lay. Cyborg moved next to them.

"Gar, we're here. All of the Titans, we're here for you," said Nightwing in a soft voice.

All the while, during the ritual and afterward, Raven continued to watch Beast Boy's chest slowly, ever more slowly move up and down as his breathing slowed.

And so at last, the Titans had reunited. After many years and many trials, the five were together again, one final time. There to say goodbye to their friend, to think about the past, remember the good times, and there were plenty of good times, and comfort each other as one of their number passed on.

And steadily, Beast Boy's heartbeat grew slower and slower, his breathing shallower and shallower. Until finally, sometime in the very early hours of the morning, when all was still dark, Garfield Logan's chest ceased to move, the monitors showed that his heart had stopped.

As his chest fell for the final time, Raven looked at the green man who had been her husband all those many years. The smallest of tears formed in her left eye and made its way down her cheek. Putting her left hand on his chest, she lay her head down on his breast and closed her eyes, as if listening for the last echoes of his heart.

The three other Titans closed in on one another, Victor and Kory quietly crying, Dick with his arms around both, eyes wet with tears unshed. Once again, the leader there to supply direction and support to his teammates, his friends.

Rita began to cry silently as well. She had lost a teammate and was losing a husband, but to lose her son, this was different. Mark moved over to his grandmother to give her support.

After several minutes, Dick finally roused. "Well, I guess it's time to let the doctors and the others do their business. Come on guys." Dick, Kory and Vic began to move towards the door.

Breaking away from his grandmother, Mark moved over to his mother. "Mom," he said softly, "it's time to go." Raven didn't move.

"Mom," he said more loudly. He nudged her shoulder.

Raven's hand fell from her husband's chest.

"MOM!"

Dick rushed over to Raven, feeling her forehead, which was rapidly growing colder. He checked the pulse in her neck. There was nothing.

"She's…she's dead."

Mark, Rita and the remaining Titans stood stunned at the pronouncement.

Back when they were young, Garfield would never leave Raven alone, following her, pestering her, annoying her, loving her. They had traveled through life for 35 years. Raven would not leave her husband. Where ever his spirit would go on the next stage of his journey, she would be by his side. Whether to heaven or hell or somewhere else, she would go with him. Life, existence without Garfield was intolerable, inconceivable. She would do anything, go anywhere, risk everything to be with him. She would always be with him, at his side, no matter what.

She loved him.

**We were not too young at all.**

XXXXXXX

And now, it's time to leave our lovers, for lovers they truly are. My thanks, as always, to the people who have read, and enjoyed, I hope, my small tale of young love grown old. My thanks and appreciation to those who have been reviewing this story as well:

TheForceIsStrongWiththisOne – Thank you. As you can see from here, the impassivity was more of anticipation. Yes grief, but more love and determination.

CrazyFlakes – I appreciate your review. No such thing as a 'too long' review, especially when you're being complementary. You are correct, within the concept of teenage superheroes, without believability, the entire story concept falls flat. Unless some motivation for characters acting OOC exist, then the story lacks that believability you refer to. I'll just avoid OOC entirely (I hope).

ChicoMagnifico, Mors101, Somewhere in Time – Sigh, once again I'm being rude and not answering you individually, but together. Here's the finale, hope you enjoyed it. (And yes, I thought it would be cool for them to have a normal son, just needed an explanation why.)

Novus Ordo Seclorum – As always, I'm grateful for your kind words. That was the one chapter I was concerned with, Beast Boy and his son, because it was such a departure from the theme of the other members, does she love him? I will admit, this final chapter was designed to pack an emotional punch, first the reconciliation of Dick and Kory to get hopes up, then, in contrast, the final moments. As for Raven's powers, it seemed logically to me, Raven's black energy gets out of control as a result of strong emotion, therefore, strong emotion needs to be suppressed and managed. Sounds like the Freud's Id concept.

The Flying Frog – Glad you've enjoyed the trip. Hopefully, that final paragraph showed Raven's thoughts without using Memory Lane. Glad you liked the Beast Boy humor, something this story, out of necessity, has sadly lacked.

Wolvmbm – It is the final chapter. I actually had the small tear written in from the beginning. Glad to know that there are others who believe she would shed a tear. Thanks for your appreciation, hope the final chapter merited it.

Raven of Alaska – Yes, despite a…distant…mom, Mark is a devoted son. I tried to show that here as well.

CraneLee – Thanks for the review. You were extremely close to the reality, well, the story's reality, she was waiting, but to not to save him, to join him.

I don't know how soon yet, but another story has been brewing in the back of my mind, a horror story. I think it will be fun. I will be taking a small sabbatical for a couple of weeks. While I always adore my wife, this tale of young love makes me want to spend a little more time with her. Plus, I need to get in the mood for a good horror tale, so until then,

Thank you, my friends, for your kind attention.


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